HELP !First Meal Refusal...Could it be the Rat?

[SvicksTC]

Ok well i havent posted in awhile but I have been watching the threads and continuing to learn...

I have had my Ball Python for a year now (dont know Gram size) but he is healthy weight...

Tank Conditions:
20 Gal Long Tank
Aspen Substrate
Hot Hide- 92 degrees
Cool Hide- 80-85 degrees
humidity-52% regularly
1 water feed
stuff for him to climb on etc..

My ball has never been picky with eating but has only ever ate live food...Ive been feeding him 1 small white rat every week and has never refused a meal until tonight

I went to feed him and i noticed the rat was sneezing a lot, breathing weird, signs of Upper Respitory infection, i didnt notice this until after i put him in with my Ball (Mitch) i instantly got worried and jumped on here....

I didnt want to put my hand in with him so let it go for like 15-20 mins after no previal i took him out...

Could it be the rat that made him refuse the meal, knowing it was sick or somehting? Or could it be that it is breeding season? I dont know if my snake is old enough to even breed yet?

Please help shed some light i am going to try and feed weds/thurs?

[Kaorte]

Well, whatever the rat was sick with would not be transferable to the snake if you are worried about that.

He could just not be hungry, could be wanting to breed. A one year old male could be looking for some loving.

Don't feed him later this week. Just wait until the next scheduled feeding day. One skipped meal won't hurt.

[SvicksTC]

Well, whatever the rat was sick with would not be transferable to the snake if you are worried about that.

He could just not be hungry, could be wanting to breed. A one year old male could be looking for some loving.

Don't feed him later this week. Just wait until the next scheduled feeding day. One skipped meal won't hurt.

well i am going home for like 5 days come friday for thanksgiving break and wanted to feed him before then, since i didnt plan on taking him home with me over the short break...

[Kaorte]

If you offer food too close to a refusal, you are more likely to end up with another refusal and a more stressed out snake.

Personally, I would just wait to feed him until you get back from your break. Then you know he is hungry

[SvicksTC]

If you offer food too close to a refusal, you are more likely to end up with another refusal and a more stressed out snake.

Personally, I would just wait to feed him until you get back from your break. Then you know he is hungry

thats what i was thinking too, but i feel bad not feeding him for like 14-15 days

[Kaorte]

So I gather that you feed on mondays? So won't you still be in town next monday?

[SvicksTC]

So I gather that you feed on mondays? So won't you still be in town next monday?

ya i normally feed monday or tuesday....i wont be back at my college apartment until the not this sunday but the following

[CA cowgirl]

Hi, I'm new here and haven't yet earned my BP.net wings, but I'll share this with you. A healthy snake can go months without eating - and some do on their own accord. And three weeks between meals is not a problem for a healthy snake. Some snakes do it for brumation, sometimes they do it because they want to shed first (or other reasons), some do it "just because." Adult snakes can handle and might be best at feeding every 3-6 weeks, another similar, non-professional link, another link (just trying to help). Don't stress too much, he's probably fine and he will be more likely to eat if you wait the two weeks to try another feeding.

[Kaorte]

Well, ball pythons don't brumate or hibernate but they do sometimes go off feed during the breeding season, which is around now.

[SvicksTC]

Well, ball pythons don't brumate or hibernate but they do sometimes go off feed during the breeding season, which is around now.

Well he just recently shed so i know that is not the issue, and he has never refused a meal before i was just talking to my mom this weekend about how good of an eater he is....*Jinx*

I did read before that it could be due to breeding season but im not sure if my guy was old/big enough to be bothered by that yet....I got him last october so a year this past month